Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-02-25

| er had come-could ever forget his comrades.
The men who advocated this bill did SO
| because its benef Charles could vote and they
expected to buy them by this bill.
Mr.. Henderson of Iowa. pronounce that
false. Applause from the galleries and from
| the Republican side)
| Mr.. Bragg say that that is the substra-
tum upon which this action is based. If one
OF the men men whom they call pauRers would
have called upon them individually for aid
they would say, "You good for nothing
scoundrel, you are as competent to work as
we are" 1t had been said by the committee
that the President was inconsistent that he
should have vetoed the Mexican pension bill.
Had he done so it would have been one of the
noblest acts of his life but the bill went to
him with the almost unanimous vote of both
houses and the press had not called his atten-
ton to his enormities. AS to his being
presidential agent he would say that the G.
A. r. at its last encampment had passed res
olutions condemning service pension of So
per month. The bill would grant pensions
to the scum-the very dregs of the earth-to
the men who had served from December
1864, to June, 1865, men who were paid from
500 to $500 with the assurance that they
were physically so defective that all they had
to do was to go to the hospital. AS to the
men who were found in almshouses they had
come from them to enter the army and after
ward simply lapsed into their old condition.
No soldier need go to the almshouse.
These men had no self-respect; they
opened their mouths for teat to suck He
knew gentlemen who had committed them
selves day after day in opposition to the
principle of the bill and were grateful for
the veto. In reply to cries, tName Them"
etc., Mr.. Bragg said: 1.-The Republican Con-
gressmen-all of them" (The reply was
greeted with applause, laughter and jeers, the
spectators Joining with those on the floor in
demonstrations of approval and disapproval)
Mr.. Bragg asserted that the press was against
the bill. The gentlemen who sat up aloft
(pointing to the press gallery might at some
time turn this big pension boom into a boom
erang in some gentleman's district
Mr.. Henderson-We have Jared as we'll in
our districts as the gentleman has in his
(This reference to Bragg's failure to secure
re election was greeted with loud and pro-
longed laughter by the Republicans.)
Mr.. Bragg repeated that the press was op-
posed to the bill. The great Republican pa
80 did the great Republican papers of Penn |
sylvania. The papers in New York almost |
without distinction were with the President
The great soldier Palmer, of Illinois, stood |
by the President. Governor Cox, of Ohio, |
stood by the President. Old Dan Sickles of |
the Third corps said that the veto was most |
glorious deed. Brave men of all parties |
stood by the President. 1t was only the lit |
tie minds that went buzzing about that op- |
posed him.
Mr.. CONTEMPORARY You |
stand by the President?
Mr.. Bragg-No staff commissary can ex- |
cite me- l am speaking for what consider |
the soldiers interest. Confederate soldiers |
without hope are toiling day by day and ex-
hibiting thrift, industry and energy never
expected of them while the northern man
lags behind Why? Because he is waiting
for the stipend to come from the government |
and when that comes it is spent quickly.
Mr. Steele-How about the Mexican pen
sion billa
Mr. Bragg-I have said that wished the
President had vetoed it. You all voted for
it and now you have discovered that it is
Mr.. Outhwaite of Ohio, said that he had
voted for the bill, but he would
now revise that action on the ground that no
distinction was made between deserving pow
erty and undeserving poverty.
Mr. Morrison, of Illinois, am satifed that
the bill does not contain what its friends
claim for it and that it is fairly subject to
the objections urged against it
in the veto. Besides the veto is SO far above
the high water mark of ordinary executive
and official manhood that feel
ike sharing and taking my little of the re-
sponsibility. Applause on the Democratic
side.)
Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, thought the Pres
dent would have been false to a sacred trust
f he had not called attention to the ambig-
titles of the bill and this mlsconstruction |
which might be placed on it.
Mr. Curtin, of Pennsy lvania, said that if the |
of the President was correct the
dill was not favorable to the true soldier of
he country.
Mr. Walford said that as Democrat he
IGNORED the President, but he did not
.gree with him that the poor starving sol
lier should die without recognition of his
services.
Mr. Rockwell, of Massachusetts,, would
,ote against the veto and declared that as
egal and patriotic document the report of
he committee on invalid pensions far out
stripped the veto.
Mr.. Lowering read numerous petitions of
+. A. R. posts of Massachusetts endorsing
he bill.
Mr. Matson, of Indiana, closed the debate
He would not attempt to indulge in imagin-
tive flights or to make oratorical display. |
lie desired to speak plainly and he spoke for
himself, for the committee, for the bill and for
10 one else He believed the President had
he right to veto legislation other than
constitutional grounds and that the e1ecu-
i've had in many instances made wise use of
hat power. 1t had been his pleasure and his
luty to defend the President when that OFF,
,er had interposed his objection to
egislation. He would be glad if
bort the veto and present to
he country united party in support of that
rote. But he was driven and compelled to
AXE the course he had because. and Only be-
cause, he believed it his duty as legislator
% ask the House to pass the bill over the
veto He held in his hand a petition drawn
Up in 1884 which was to long to read. 1t
was numerously sigLed and in substance
asked that pension of at least SO per month |
Dc granted all honorably discharged soldiers. !
It contained this statement: 81 am
sure that the subject of this petition |
8 worthy of the prompt and careful consid-
sration of Congress and full justice should be
lone to the parties in whose interest the mo-
i've is made. GROVER CLEVELAND.
As Mr. Matson ooncluped nearly every Re-
publican was on his feet and as Mr.. Matson
finished reading the endorsement round of
applause came from the Republican
'ide. The question was then put:
will the House upon reconsideration
pass the bill, the Presidents objection to the
Notwithstanding" and it was de-
,ided in the negative, 1875 nays to IT'S yeas,
not the conditional two thirds. The vote
oy which the bill originally passed was $50
@ 76.
The house then went into committee of the
whole on the naval appropriation bill and
pending debate adjourned.
A CORPSE IN BOX.